San Antonio Handbill Ordinance

The City of San Antonio enacted a new ordinance regulating door-to-door distribution of handbills in our neighborhoods. The ordinance became effective February 17, 2011 and is enforced by the San Antonio Police Department. If you would like to report a violation of this code after you have placed a “no soliciting” sign on your property, please call the SAPD non-emergency number at 207-7273.

Here is the text from the new ordinance:

Sec. 21-3. - Advertising on public or private property.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to paint, print, stamp or indent letters, words or figures, on any fence, tree, post, building, wall, sidewalk or bridge in this city, or to post bills on any fence, building, walk, sidewalk or bridge, in this city, without having first obtained the consent of the parties owning or controlling the same.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute or cause to be distributed, deposited, placed, thrown, scattered or cast any handbill upon any private property if requested by anyone thereon not to do so, or if there is placed on such premises in a conspicuous place upon or near the main entrance to the premises, a weatherproof card, not less than three (3) inches by four (4) inches in size bearing the words "no solicitation," "no advertisements," "no handbills," or any similar notice indicating in any manner that the occupants of such premises do not desire to have any such handbills left upon their premises. The letters on such cards shall be not less than two-thirds (2/3) of an inch in height.

(c) This section does not apply to any department, branch or agency of federal, state, or municipal government and any religious, political or charitable handbills.